Masoor Dal - Red Lentils (Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker, Pan)

This vegan, creamy, delicious and easy masoor dal (red lentils) is cooked in Instant Pot and stovetop. Best served with rice and roti. Ready under 35 minutes.

Recipe Source Link:https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/instant-pot-masoor-dal/

---

« Go back Print this recipe »

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

» For Masoor Dal //

• 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 cup red lentils / masoor sal (whole or split)
• 1 large sized tomato, chopped
• 1 medium sized green or red chili pepper sliced, (optional)
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped or minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped or minced
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (lal mirch powder), or to taste
• 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1.5 tablespoon oil/ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder (kali mirch powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala Powder
• 2 teaspoon chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) to garnish
• 4.5 cups water (you can reduce the amount if you want thicker dal)
• 5-6 curry leaves (optional)
• Salt to taste

» For Tempering (Tadka) //

• 1 tablespoon sliced garlic (lehsun)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
• 1.5 tablespoon oil/ghee
• 2 tablespoons chopped onions
• 3-4 small kashmiri dried red chilies (sukhi lal mirch)
• A pinch of asafoeftida (hing)

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

» How to make tadka (tempering) //

1. Heat ghee or oil in a pan.
2. Add some cumin seeds and dried red chilies. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add asafoetida and mix well.
5. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add Kashmiri red chili powder and mix well. Immediately turn off the heat.

» How to make masoor dal in instant pot:

1. Rinse masoor dal If using sabut (whole) masoor dal then soak it for 30 minutes in 1/2 cup water. Skip the soaking time if using split red lentils. Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it?s hot, add the oil.
2. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
3. Then add bay leaf and curry leaves and sauté for a few more seconds.
4. After that add chopped onions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
5. Then add the sliced red or green chili, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, and mix well. Sauté for 1 minute.
6. Next, add black pepper powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt.
7. Mix everything well and cook for 1 minute.
8. Now add chopped tomatoes.
9. Mix well. Also de-glaze the pot by scraping the bottom with a wooden spatula or spoon to make sure that there is nothing stuck at the bottom. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
10. Add soaked masoor dal and mix well.
11. Cook for another 2 minutes. These 2 minutes of sautéeing with onion tomato masala make dal more flavorful, so I would not recommend skipping this.
12. Add water and stir it.
13. Close the pot with the lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position.
14. After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually, and then open the lid.
15. Stir it and add garam masala powder, and coriander leaves. Add lemon juice and stir well.
16. Pour hot prepared tadka (tempering) over the cooked dal and give it a mix. It would give a nice color flavor boost and a beautiful color. Alternatively, you can Drizzle tadka over dal right before serving.
17. Serve masoor dal hot with rice or roti.

» How to make masoor dal in a stovetop pressure cooker:

1. Rinse masoor dal If using sabut (whole) masoor dal then soak it for 30 minutes in 1/2 cup water. Skip the soaking time if using split red lentils.
2. Heat oil in a stovetop pressure cooker. Once it?s hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
3. Then add bay leaf and curry leaves and sauté for a few more seconds.
4. After that add chopped onions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
5. Then add the sliced red or green chili, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, and mix well. Sauté for 1 minute.
6. Next, add black pepper powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt.
7. Mix everything well and cook for 1 minute.
8. Now add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add soaked masoor dal and mix well.
10. Cook for another 2 minutes. These 2 minutes of sautéeing with onion tomato masala make dal more flavorful, so I would not recommend skipping this.
11. Add water and stir well.
12. Close the cooker with the lid, and pressure cook on high heat for 1-2 whistles.
13. Let the pressure go down completely before opening the lid. Once the pin drops, open the lid.
14. Add garam masala powder, chopped coriander leaves and mix well again.
15. Cook for 1 minute and turn off the heat. Drizzle with some lemon juice and stir well.
16. Add prepared tadka to the cooked dal and give it a stir.
17. Serve masoor dal hot with jeera rice and paratha.

» How to make masoor dal in a saucepan:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
3. Next add bay leaf and curry leaves and sizzle for 30 more seconds.
4. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5. Then add the sliced red or green chili, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, and mix well. Sauté for 1 minute.
6. Next, add black pepper powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt.
7. Mix everything well and cook for 1 minute.
8. Now add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add soaked masoor dal and mix well.
10. Cook for another 2 minutes. These 2 minutes of sautéeing with onion tomato masala make dal more flavorful, so I would not recommend skipping this.
11. Add water and give it a stir. Let it come to a boil.
12. Once, boiled, close with the lid and cook on medium-low heat or 20 minutes or until lentils are tender and soft. (Keep checking it in every 10 minutes, and add more water if required.)
13. Add garam masala powder, coriander leaves and mix well again Cook for 1 minute.
14. Turn off the heat and drizzle with some lemon juice and mix well.
15. Pour tadka over dal and mix again.
16. Serve hot dal with any pulao or flatbread of your choice.

RECIPE NOTES

1. If you want to cook dal in oil and still want the rich flavor of ghee, then you can add a dollop of ghee at the end.
2. I used a whole red lentil for this recipe. You can either use whole or split red lentils in this recipe.
3. This dal is a restaurant-style masoor dal tadka, so I added a second tadka of onion and garlic. That second tadka at the end gives it that illuminating classic touch. But you can surely skip the second tadka if you want. The dal would still taste great.